Meatless Monday: Raw Pumpkin Tagliatelle with Beet Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

1 med. butternut squash or Uchi Kuri pumpkin, peeled

For the “Alfredo” sauce
1 cup almonds or pine nuts, soaked overnight
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pistachio (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Handful parsley, chopped
Handful cilantro, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, de-seeded and sliced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced lemongrass
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
Agave or mirin or other sweetener
1 medium beet, grated
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Directions

1. The day before soak the almonds or pine nuts in water overnight in the refrigerator.
2. The next day: Blend and puree all the “Alfredo” ingredients in a blender.
3. To make the pasta, peel away the outside of the pumpkin or squash.
4. Then using a Spiralo cut the pasta, or if you do not have a Spiralo, then continue with a vegetable peeler.
5. Serve the pasta with the Alfredo sauce over.

Source: vegalicious.com

Sometimes You Just Need to Un-Wine!

We hope you all enjoyed the snow last week, but if you're like us, it wasn't all just fun and games. The snow meant we were closed for a day and a half and had some catching up to do when we got back. And then there was the shoveling and scraping! What better way to relax after getting thrown off schedule than to taste some lovely wines and beers, eat some tasty treats and mingle with some cool people? We can't think of one! Won't you join us this Saturday and 'Un-Wine' with us? Stop by between 1pm - 4pm and enjoy the following:



Spirits

Ararat, Empire Distributors, Country Vintner, WoodMill Winery, Skyland Distributing Company and Mother Earth Brewing

Food

Tito's Specialty Foods, KW Collards, Carolina Pie Company, Daisy Gale's Delights, Cheese Creations Tavern Cheese Spread, Zico Coconut Water and various cheeses and snacks

Demos

Garden of Life, Acure Organics and Natural Health International

Meatless Monday: Cabbage, Red Potato and "Bratwurst" Stew

Ingredients

1 lb. shredded cabbage
8-9 red “new” potatoes, cleaned and cut in bite-sized chunks
4 green onions thinly sliced
1 tablespoon oil
1 12-14 ounce package vegan "bratwursts"
1/4-1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart vegetable stock
Salt ad pepper to taste
Mustard
Thyme as garish

Directions

1. Prepare the vegetables.
2. Slice the vegan "bratwursts" in bite sized pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
4. Add the chopped potatoes and green onions.
5. Add the shredded cabbage and thyme.
6. Add the vegetable stock and the "bratwurst" pieces.
7. Bring the stew to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer.
8. The stew is ready when the potatoes are soft.
9. Adjust the seasonings to taste with more salt and pepper and perhaps some more thyme.

Source: vegalicious.com

Meatless Monday: Vegan "Hearty" Ravioli

Ingredients

For the filling
450 grams of spinach, large stems removed and chopped
1 tbs. grainy mustard
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tbs. bread crumbs
Pinch of salt

For the Raviolis
1 c. semolina four
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup water
Pinch salt

For the Sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 onion, minced
1 tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Various Italian herbs (fresh would be best)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

For the Ravioli Dough
1. In a bowl, combine the pasta dough ingredients to make a dough.
2. Wrap in a towel and let sit for 30 minutes.

For the Filling
1. Wash the spinach and remove the large tough stems.
2. Chop the spinach and steam or saute in water. (sweat)
3. Place in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the mustard, salt and bread-crumbs and mix well.
5. Season further with salt, cayenne and pepper.

For the Sauce
1. Saute the minced onion in the olive oil until the onion is glassy.
2. Add the minced garlic and saute.
3. Add the tomatoes and reduce heat to simmer.
4. Add the herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper and continue to simmer on a low heat.
5. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and cayenne.

Making the Ravioli
1. Divide the dough in fourths and roll out each portion on a floured work space, allowing the first sheet of pasta to sit while rolling out the second. One of the tricks to the pasta is to make sure you've rolled the dough out very thin.
2. Cut out your ravioli hearts and fill with the filling. Place the top part of the ravioli over the filling and close with a fork.
3. If you have a form or press, then of course that saves time you merely place 1 sheet of dough on one side, put the filling on the dough and then lay the 2nd sheet of dough on top. Close the form to seal and cut off the extra using a knife.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salty water to boil.
5. Put your ravioli into the salty water and cook. They are ready when they come floating to the top. I would suggest cooking only a few raviolis at a time.
6. Place the first cooked raviolis in the oven to keep warm until they are all ready.
7. When ready to serve, put a layer of sauce on the plate and lay the raviolis on top.
8. You can garnish with some fresh cut herbs or if you have vegan cheese, you can dust some on top.

Source: vegalicious.org

Be Awesome This Valentine's Day - Save Money and Impress with Your Culinary Skills!

Valentine's Day can be very expensive (and very cheesy), but it doesn't have to be! What's more romantic and heart-felt than a nice home-cooked meal? Light some candles, put on some good music and enjoy each other's company over a delicious meal! Alternatively, enjoy a sweet dinner with the whole family! Everyone knows that eating at home is cheaper than going out to eat and it's even cheaper when you get items on sale. The following recipes contain ingredients that we have on sale this month at our stores! The sale items are listed in parenthesis). For a full list of sale items, please visit our website! We've included recipes for cooks of every caliber. Not much of a cook? That's okay; we've got you covered! Surprise your loved one(s); they'll appreciate the effort and sentiment!

Pomegranate Margaritas (using PureGranate Juice)
Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette (using Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, Dried Cranberries)
Lemony Shrimp Salad w/ Avocado, Hearts of Palm and Feta (using Avocado)
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (using the Whole Cooked Chicken)
Loaded Baked Potato Mac and Cheese (using Annie's Shells & White Cheddar)
Tuna Casserole w/ Cream Cheese (using Natural Sea White Albacore Tuna)
Smart Ground Shepherd's Pie (using Lightlife Smart Ground)
Easy Roasted Beef Tenderloin (using natural Beef Tenderloin)
Homemade "Twinkie" Muffins (using European Gourmet Bakery Organic Vanilla Cake Mix)
Vegan No-Bake Cookies (using Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Shredded Coconut, Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave)

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you lovers out there!

Meatless Monday: Roasted Sweet Potato Steaks With Horseradish-Dill Topping

Ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish (or prepared horseradish)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then wrap in aluminum foil with a sprinkle of salt. Roast the potatoes on the oven rack until they are very tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Unwrap, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Gently peel the skins, and place the whole potatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Stir together the horseradish, dill, parsley leaves, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Scatter the topping over the sweet potatoes and serve.

Source: takepart.com